Iris
Iris (イリス Irisu) is an ancient Kaiju of unknown origin. Description Name Iris shares its name with a goddess from Greek mythology, and also a type of flower. Appearance In ancient cave paintings, Iris is depicted as a monstrous presence with a seashell-shaped head, two swords for arms, and two hooved feet. It has spikes on its back, and also has four tentacles coming from its sides, much longer than its full body length. What appears to be the sun is centered on its chest. History Origin East-Asian mythologies suggest that Iris is the Guardian of the South, represented as a giant bird, which battles against an enemy guardian from the north, represented as a giant turtle. However, according to legend from Nara, Japan, Iris is an ancient demon known as the Ryuseicho that, if awakened, will bring about the end of the world. Some believe that Iris was created by an ancient civilization to act as a failsafe for other creatures of great power they made, in the event they turned on humanity and began destroying the world. Mythology According to legend, the Vermilion Bird was the primordial Guardian of the South. It was accompanied by the Black Tortoise of the North, the White Tiger of the West, and the Teal Dragon of the East. The Four Guardians watched over the planet Earth in its ancient times, keeping order and balance by destroying anything perceived as evil. However, once the Earth began to spawn life, the Vermilion Bird saw potential of great catastrophe and destruction from living things affecting the planet, especially humanity. Thus, the Bird saw life as a threat that must be purged, bringing it into conflict with the other Guardians. A great battle was faught that reshaped the planet, with the Vermilion Bird defeating the White Tiger and the Teal Dragon. It was finally defeated by the Black Tortoise, though it dealt an injury to the Guardian of the North. The three benevolent Guardians sealed the Bird away, renaming it Iris. They then went into hybernation, allowing the Earth to recover from their apocalyptic battle. To recover its full strength, Iris requires a symbiotic bond with a soul. To prepare, an amulet containing beads of power was made, containing what remained of Iris's power while it would wait for someone to come across it and awaken it. It will require to feed on other life, but draw most of its power from its symbiotic bond, growing stronger every day. Eventually, once it has reached significant strength, Iris may choose to bond with the soul, establishing a deep physical and spiritual connection with them to increase its power and enable it to fulfill its goal of ridding humanity once and for all. Modern Resurfacing Iris continues to exist, trapped in a tiny stone egg hidden away in a cave somewhere in the wildnerness near Nara, Japan. Local legend said it was the resting place of a demon called Ryu-Sei-Cho. A stone of unknown origin is said to keep the demon dormant as long as it's not moved. It would seem destiny has selected Iris a soul partner, a young orphan by the name of Ayana Hirasaka. Power Iris, as the Vermilion Bird, was one of two of the Four Guardians to be gifted with the power of flight, the other being the Teal Dragon, granting it an advantage over the two land Guardians. Iris has the ability to establish a connection to a living soul, granting the individual great power in exchange for feeding off of their energy. To sustain itself, it also drains the life-force from other creatures, enabling it to keep its symbiotic partner alive. When it drains energy from beings of power, Iris can take on their powers as if they were its own. Category:Demon Category:Evil